Spruce Kings top Trail

Sean Donaldson did the deed.

In his first game against the Trail Smoke Eaters, the team that just traded him, the 17-year-old Prince George Spruce Kings winger pulled the trigger and hit the target. His second goal of the season, 13:45 into the first period, gave the visiting Kings a 2-0 lead and they went on to defeat the Smoke Eaters 5-2.

The Kings acquired Donaldson last week in a trade for winger Layne Sniher, who was held pointless on Friday.

Ben Brar, the B.C. Hockey League’s player of the week last week, picked up where he left off and collected his first hat trick of the season.

His three-goal effort left him with a league-leading 14 goals in 17 games. Chong Min Lee also scored for Prince George. Dustin Manz and Dylan Anhorn each has two assists.

Kent Johnson and Bryce Anderson were the Trail goalscorers.

The Smokies had a tough time penetrating the Prince George defence and were held to just 17 shots on goalie Logan Neaton, who improved his record to 8-3-0. The Spruce Kings managed 29 shots on Adam Marcoux.

The win, in front of 1,992 onlookers at Cominco Arena, moved the Spruce Kings (11-5-0-1, third in B.C. Division) within two points of the second-place Coquitlam Express (12-5-1-0).

Prince George is just three points behind the league-leading Chilliwack Chiefs (13-60-0), who lost lost 4-2 to Victoria Friday in Chilliwack. Trail (7-7-3-1) ranks fifth in the Interior Division.

The Spruce Kings continue their threegame roadtrip tonight (7:05 p.m. start) in Wenatchee against the Wild - 8-1 winners at home Friday over the visiting Cowichan Valley Capitals.

The Kings will face the Salmon Arm Silverbacks Sunday afternoon (3 p.m.).